It’s been a while since I last blogged, because so many things have happened. Also, Instagram killed blogging.
I decided to blog again today and see where this goes.

As I was cleaning up my computer, I found this file on church photos that I have collected.
If I had so much money I would build a chapel I would like to go to.
There are many churches in Manila, but I think there are just too many church goers.
I don’t enjoy going to Mass here like I did in New York in a little chapel where the sermons made sense.
Here, it’s pretty much a task for me to go to Mass. I really don’t enjoy it, I’m sorry.
When I sit there, I just really sit there. I don’t necessary feel enlightened or lighter inside.
My thoughts wander and I wonder if I could ever build a chapel I really want to go to.

Mostly I’m a visual person. I get moved by beautiful interiors, I like it minimal. I even look at the santos and wonder why they couldn’t get better looking santos, I’m sorry if that sounds shallow. But this is my blog…

So I collected pictures of chapels I would like to go to, if only I could build one so I can be assured of a seat.

Christmas is coming and for me it is the saddest time of the year because of personal reasons.
My ideal Christmas would be in a cold place with my loved ones and a postcard-looking chapel like this

If I could own a chapel, it would probably look like this

I find this very beautiful

And this

Of course that’s all external. I would like the songs not to be baduy (sorry) and the sermon to be meaningful. It would have a clean restroom, good air-conditioning, and good, holy priests.
Well that’s just a dream of mine. If only I were younger and had more energy and lots of money, I would do it.
That’s all for now. I’ll try to write more in the coming days or weeks.

When I was a teenager, I took a trip with my mom, my aunt, and my cousin Reggie to Japan and ended up in a shrine or huge convention center.
Gosh, I used to dress like a goth in neck-to-ankle black. Well, I still do sometimes.
My cousin Reggie was cute and used to think he looked like a young Robert Downey Jr.
Don’t ask what we were doing there, but after the festivities, we were waiting for our ride to take us back to our accommodation, and right across from where we were, I spotted him—a beautiful boy in a long black coat, with pale skin, round eyes, and long bangs.
This was the ’80s by the way.
I was mesmerized. There was no Google or social media at that time so it was nearly impossible to find out who he was, but Reggie and I found out his name was Paul, the son of doctors from Chicago.

When we got back to Manila, Reggie would send me polvoron or “Paulvoron” cause it rhymed with his name. I don’t want to reveal his name. That would be too embarrassing. For sure he looks older now, probably married, with kids. Let’s not bother him. And yes I have Googled his name + Chicago to no avail.
But his memory still haunts me. The memory of this beautiful boy in black with light brown hair and long bangs.
When I die maybe I’ll ask God about him, God being the greatest Google source of all.
Reggie eventually became an indie actor. You may know him by his screen name, Lance Raymundo.
Only Reggie understands, and I’ll always have fond memories of our time in Japan.

The House of Marley, an ecologically-friendly line of audio gear, inspired by the passion and vision of the late reggae superstar Bob Marley, recently launched in the Philippines at Polilya bar in Poblacion, Makati.
House of Marley was born of the Marley family’s desire to bring to life Bob’s vision of universal love, music and respect for nature through socially responsible materials and sustainably crafted products.

The products are sourced from earth-friendly materials such as recyclable aluminum, bamboo, FSC-certified wood.
Named after some of Bob Marley’s popular anthems, the designs are rooted in simplicity and ecological balance. Wood, rubber, leather, metal and ceramic come together in sleek designs plus high-quality sound.

The streamlined, bamboo-finish turntable with a built in pre-amp has yet to arrive in the Philippines, but check out the rest of the Marley lineup that’s in retail stores right now—the Smile Jamaica earbuds (P1,490); Chant mini (P3,290) and Chant sport (P5,890) speakers; Get Together mini (P8,990) and Bag of Riddim (P17,990) portable Bluetooth audio systems; and the Positive Vibration headphones (P3,990).

House of Marley is available at Powermac Center, Switch, iBook, inBox, iStore, and Urban Gadgets.
To know more, follow @houseofmarley.ph on Instagram.

Entering the newly opened Guava Sketches at the ground floor of Greenbelt 3 will remind you immediately of a Danish lifestyle store.
Owned by sisters Jennifer and Joan Cantemprante, the name Guava Sketches was derived from Jennifer’s fond memories of the guava tree and Miles Davis’s Flamenco Sketches.

Guava Sketches started out as a Singapore-based online store. They would do occasional pop-ups before finally opening their standalone store at Greenbelt 3.
Guava Sketches carries T-shirts from IDEA Publication, stationery from House Doctor and Octaevo, furniture from House Doctor and Brdr. Krüger, magazines from IDEA Publication and Plethora, tableware from Jimbobart and Gustavsberg, prints from OLLE Eksell and so many others.

The Brdr. Kruger Bolling Tray Table (starts from Php 35,580) was created in 1963, by Danish architect Hans Bølling. The two reversible trays can be flipped over to add colour contrast and personality to suit your space. The wooden frame can also be folded flat and reopened without the use of tools as it is joined by wooden spikes.

I love the House Doctor Mix Drawer (Php 27,451), which has retractable wheels.
House Doctor The company, which is run by siblings Rikke Juhl Jensen, Gitte Juhl Capel and Klaus Juhl Pedersen, was born in 2001 in Denmark.

IDEA Publication “Drugs” Bag (Php 3,380) is probably not the best way to make a statement these days but I like it for its humor, simplicity and function.

Right now, Guava Sketches is the only store that carries tableware by Jimbobart. James Ward creates a range of ceramics and illustrations centering on his expressive animal drawings.
Joan explained that the plates and cups used to be individually hand-painted until the demand grew. The designs are now painted using a machine but still in small quantities.

Guava Sketches also carries IFJ, Mizu-Mizu, a Japanese brand of tableware. The designs are very modern and fresh although he elegant bluish white and light caramel brown hues are reminiscent of antique China.

There are Acroliths and centrepieces from Giacomo Alessi Ceramics, a renowned pottery brand from Caltagirone in Italy.

From Kühn Keramik of Berlin, Guava Sketches has bottle stoppers and wall hangers.

Guava Sketches is at the ground floor of Greenbelt 3. You can also order online at https://www.guavasketches.com/.
To know more, follow @guavasketches on Instagram.

Filipino-American Stella Abrera, prima ballerina for the American Ballet Theatre, will perform with the top eight dancers of the company at the Maybank stage, Bonifacio Global City on April 5, 6 and 7.
The three nights of dance, music and art are for the benefit of the dance scholarship program of CENTEX (Center of Excellence in Public Education), a subsidiary of the Ayala Foundation.

Stella Abrera

Abrera, who made her Manila debut in 2014 in Ballet Philippines’ production of “Giselle,” will be joined onstage by Isabella Boylston, Blaine Hoven, Roman Zhurbin, Gillian Murphy, Jose Sebastian, Catherine Hurlin, Arron Scott and Joowon Ahn.

The show, titled “An Intimate Evening with Stella Abrera and the American Ballet Stars,” will feature music from history’s greatest composers.

Isabella Boylston, an ABT principal since 2014 and soloist since 2011, and Blaine Hoven, a recipient of the 2008 Princess Grace Award as well as the prestigious Chris Hellman Dance Award, take on John Philip Sousa’s Stars & Stripes (pas de deux).

Johan Strauss II’s Bier Halle comes to life through the powerful artistry of Gillian Murphy and Jose Sebastian.
Murphy was awarded the Prix de Lausanne Espoir, as well as the Princess Grace Foundation Award.
Sebastian started his professional dance career at age eight. He trained under Fabrice Herrult and Olga Kostritzky.

Gillian Murphy

In another number, Abrera performs with Korean ballet dancer Joo Woon Anh, who began his formal training in 2006 at Y.J. Ballet People Academy and Sun Hwa Art School. Abrera and Anh will perform a romantic excerpt from Romeo and Juliet as choreographed by Sir Kenneth MacMillan.

Joo Woon Anh

Catherine Hurlin, the 2007 Youth American Grand Prix NYC Final’s Hope Awardee, and Arron Scott, a soloist since 2015 and an ABT dancer since 2003, are featured in Flames of Paris. This will be followed by “On the Water” with Gillian Murphy and Blaine Hoven.

Catherine Hurlin

Arron Scott

For the finale, the talented roster of award-winning dancers gathers for a tribute to Don Quixote. They will be joined by Steps scholars from the CENTEX Scholarship Dance Program.

“We’re so grateful and honored to perform for Filipino audiences, and we cannot wait to share with you the special numbers we have lined up for you for the two evenings,” said Abrera. “We do invite everyone to celebrate arts, culture and the love of ballet.”

An Intimate Evening with Stella Abrera and American Ballet Stars is co-presented by Ayala Group of Companies and Patek Philippe with the support of The Aivee Group, Distinqt and Nespresso. The shows are co-sponsored by Ayala Corp., Ayala Land Inc., Bank of the Philippine Islands, Globe Telecom, AirSWIFT, Raffles Makati, Seda Hotels, El Nido Resorts and Steps Dance Studio.

Tickets to the April 5 and 6 shows are sold out but you can still catch this once-in-a-lifetime ballet event on April 7.